Bridging to Employment with Humber College

Luis is an accomplished, internationally trained Civil Engineer with over 10 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, primarily working in engineering, procurement and construction management projects. He is also a skilled Structural Designer, proficient in both 2D and 3D design software. Today, Luis is working in Alberta as a Structural Engineer in Training (EIT) with AMEC, one of the world’s leading engineering, project management and consultancy companies. Luis considers himself fortunate to have been offered this opportunity and knows he couldn’t have done it alone.

Luis started his career in Venezuela where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering. He studied for a Master’s Degree in Structural Engineering and Seismic Resistant Design while working as a Structural Engineer. After arriving in Canada in 2009, Luis worked on improving his language and communication skills before applying for and being accepted into Humber’s Engineering Software Skills Enhancement (ESSE) Program, a bridging program for internationally trained civil, electrical and mechanical engineers, funded by the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada. Its courses in Revit, AutoCAD, Project Management, Safety Standards, SolidWorks, Construction Estimating, Ontario Building Code (OBC), and Quality Concepts gave him the technical and software skills he needed to make himself more marketable to employers.

Most importantly, the program offered job search supports and advice. From the start, Luis was open to suggestions offered by staff, and revised his resume and improved his LinkedIn profile. His hard work started to pay off even before graduation from the ESSE program, when he received invitations for job interviews from top employers, and after a telephone interview with AMEC was offered his current position.

Humber College, one of Canada’s leading educational institutions has helped many talented people like Luis achieve success. Dedicated to helping all learners succeed, Humber’s academic programs combine a solid academic foundation with practical learning. Serving more than 22,000 full-time and 56,000 part-time students, Humber offers a wide-range of career-focused opportunities for students to personalize their educational path. The college’s 150 full-time and 200 continuing education programs include four-year baccalaureate degrees, two and three-year diplomas, and one and two-year certificates.

Along with government and community partners, Humber has been able to offer a number of programs to help launch internationally trained professionals into the Canadian labour market – such as language training, pre-entry advising, employment services and of course, bridge training. “We recognize the value, skills and contributions that internationally trained professionals bring to our society and it’s important that we provide learning opportunities that will allow them to make the transition to employment and education quickly and easily,” says Geraldine Babcock, Director of Humber’s Community Outreach and Workforce Development office.

Luis benefitted from these opportunities at Humber and in early January 2012, he relocated to Alberta to embark on his engineering career in Alberta. In a few short months, his wife will complete her work in Ontario and will join him in Calgary. In the spring they will welcome the arrival of their first child, another reason to celebrate and appreciate what life has brought them in Canada.

For more information on how Humber can help you achieve success in Canada, see www.newtocanada.humber.ca.

Note: The views expressed in this article are the views of Humber College and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada.

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